Customers rage over baked beans change

AUSTRALIAN shoppers have complained over the changes to baked beans after Kraft Heinz announced a resized and rebranded campaign.

Heinz relaunched an old favourite which the Ketchup connoisseur says is based on Australian consumers' evolving tastes and needs, but shoppers say the brand has not heeded their call.

Over the past few weeks Heinz has rolled out changes to its famous baked beans, which have been re-sized "based on research that found the existing can sizes didn't match," a statement from Heinz said.

It has also removed its Heinz logo and branding in what Kraft Heinz Australian Commercial President, Elkin Jackson, called a "bold" move for business.

"Removing the Heinz logo for a limited time is a bold move. We want to emphasise our commitment to consumers and celebrate the introduction of the new can-sizes and occasions," she said.

Yet customers have complained that the brand has reduced the size but kept the price.

Its new 300g tins are selling for 10 cents cheaper at Woolworths, but with 100g less product.Source:Supplied

It has also removed its Heinz logo and branding in what Kraft Heinz Australian Commercial President, Elkin Jackson, called a "bold" move for business.

"Removing the Heinz logo for a limited time is a bold move. We want to emphasise our commitment to consumers and celebrate the introduction of the new can-sizes and occasions," she said.

Yet customers have complained that the brand has reduced the size but kept the price.

One Twitter user said his local Woolworths in Belconnen, Canberra, were "selling both beans & spaghetti in the new sizes at the old price".

Others have called out Heinz for apparently skimping on their triple packs, which are alleged to have also been resized from 3 x 420g tins to 3 x 300g tins - for the same $3 price tag.

Kraft Heinz did not immediately respond to news.com.au's questions on the matter.

But it said it has removed its logo to replace it with "new names to highlight which can sizes are best for the different dining occasions".

These names are the 'Lil One' (130 grams), the 'One for One' (220 grams), the 'One for Two' (300 grams) and the 'One for All' (555 grams).

"First, we mapped how Australians consume Heinz Beanz, based on that, we started asking them if our current offer matched their needs such as the perfect amount of beans on a slice of toast, for a couple to share breakfast, for a family and to refuel for that perfect snack," a Heinz Australia spokesperson told news.com.au.

"Aussies consume their beans differently to the rest of the world so we created a portfolio that matches their needs."

The company said it combined its own 2016 research and ABS Census statistics "to complement our own consumer research with everyday Aussies".

What they found was that "Australian households have changed over the last decades, and Aussies are looking for ideal can sizes to suit different occasions".

The company confirmed major changes could be coming to Heinz Beanz's sister-product, spaghetti.

"Watch this space, there is innovation in the Spaghetti category coming and we can't wait to share this with Spaghetti fans across Australia and introduce similar can sizes in Spaghetti."